Everyone wants to have clean air in their homes but without proper testing it’s hard to know what pollutants might be circulating through your house. Three of the most common indoor air pollutants are carbon monoxide, radon and mildew and mold.
Fortunately there are ways to test for each pollutant listed above.
Testing Your Home For Pollutants
The trouble with indoor air pollutants is that some types originate outdoors while others have their source point within the home. Using the proper tests helps you find where problems begin and stop them right at the source.
Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas which can get into your lungs and reduce your ability to deliver oxygen around your body. Prolonged exposure can cause asphyxiation and eventually death. This dangerous gas can be released from household appliances such as water heaters, stoves, furnaces and fireplaces as a result of incomplete combustion of fuel within these devices.
A carbon monoxide detector works much like a smoke detector complete with an internal alarm if carbon monoxide levels rise too high. In cases of exposure remove yourself from the saturated area where clean oxygenated air will help to scrub your lungs clean. In extreme cases medical oxygen and hyperbaric chambers are sometimes used to cure over-exposure.
Radon: Radon, like carbon monoxide, is a colorless, odorless gas that is naturally released from the soil and infiltrates the home through basement floors and walls as well as drainage systems. Testing for radon can only be done with a radon detection kit. Unfortunately there is no way to treat for radon exposure but reducing further exposure is the best way to prevent lung damage.
Biological pollutants: The easiest of the pollutants to detect, mold and mildew are generally discovered by visual inspections and odor detection. Do a thorough search around your home in areas moisture might collect and clean affected areas thoroughly with ammonia to kill existing spores.
Contact us at Arpi’s Industries for more indoor air quality advice for industry experts. We’ve been serving the Calgary area for more than 50 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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